Silica-magnesia catalyst and preparation thereof



Patented Aug. 11948 SILICA-MAGNESIA CATALYST AND PREPARATION THEREOF Darrel .I. Butterbaugh, Abington, and Le' Roy U. Spence, Elkins Park, Pa., assignors to Riihm 8; Haas Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. -riginal application August 30, .1944, Serial No. 551,996, now Patent No. 1 2,423,681, .dated July 8, 1947. Divided and this application May 31, 1946, Serial No. 673,485

' 4 Claims. (01. 252-204) Ifhis invention relates to' the production of catalysts which are parti-cularly'suitable in the conversion of ethanol to -butadiene at elevated temperatures. This application is a division of our earlier application, Serial No. 551,996, filed August 30, 1944 now U. S. Patent No. 2,423,681, issued July 8, 1947.

Our new catalysts convertfethanol ormixtures of ethanol and acetaldehyde.intobutadiene in good yields under the conditionsset forth below. Crotonaldehyde or acetaldol may be substituted for the acetaldehyde with good results. The ethanol or 'mixture of ethanol and aldehyde and/0r aldol is vaporized and passed over the catalyst in a heated tube at temperatures within the range of from about 375" to about 525 C. and at pressures from above normal to well below normal. The exit gases are cooled to about0 C. to condense out Water, alcohol, acetaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, and other liquid by-products. Alternatively, these substances may be removed by scrubbing the exit gases with water." The gaseous products contain the butadiene with small amounts of impurities, suchas butylenes, ethylene, and hydrogen. The butadiene may be recovered from the gases by absorption in solvents, preferably under pressure, or by other known methods of recovery and purification. The unchanged alcohol, acetaldehyde, and/or crotonaldehyde are preferably recovered from the condensed liquids by distillation and are returned over the catalyst for conversion to butadiene. The ethanol used may contain some water, 90% to 95% of ethanol giving good results. The presence of larger amounts of water in the ethanol has little effect upon the yield of butadiene, but does reduce the rate of reaction. Mixtures of acetaldehyde and ethanol give improved yields of butadiene in mixtures containing up to about fifty mol per cent acetaldehyde, with an optimum yield at about thirty mol percent acetaldehyde. When such mixtures are used, the rate of reaction is higher than with ethanol alone. The concentration of "butadiene in' the exit gases is also higher when mixtures of acetaldehyde and ethanol are employed, since less hydrogen is formed. Crotonaldehyde or-acetaldol" may also be mixed with the ethanol and passed-over the catalyst to give good yields of butadiene. 'A concentration of fifteen to thirty mol per cent crotonaldehyde or acetaldol in the ethanol gives highly satisfactory yields.

Our catalysts comprise the alkali-digested mixtures of magnesium' oxide with silica. The'silica may be in the precipitated form or as diatomaceous earth. Kaolin may also be used as a sourc of silica. The catalysts maybe made byheat ing said, 'mixtures with solutions of strongly alkaline bases such as lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or quaternary ammonium hydroxides such as benzyl trimethyl ammonium hydroxide. Alternatively,'the alkali metal silicates,'such as'sodium silicate, may be used for the digestion. The silicates servealso asa source of silica." The'activation may preferably be performed by digesting the admixture with an aqueous solutioncontaining about0;1 to about 8% of a strongly alkaline material. This operation may be carried out' at C. or: more, at such concentrations, and is conveniently done by refluxing of the alkaline solution-"containing the oxides but may be done under pressure. With concentrations of alkali above the preferred range, even lower temperatures may be'us'ed. In effecting activation of the catalyst as above described, the factors of time, temperature, and

concentration of alkaline materialare so'con- I it is subsequently to be used.

' The diatomaceous earth usedis preferably in finely divided form, acid washed to'remove iron oxide, and then ignited.

Magnesium oxide, prepared by precipitation from soluble salts or by ignition of the nitrates or chlorides, when used alone or mixed with diatomaceous earth or precipitated 'silica, gives definitely lower yields of butadiene than does the corresponding alkali-digested catalyst. Furthermore, diatomaceous earth or precipitated silica alone is substantially inert as a catalyst at the temperatures at which thecatalysts of: this invention give optimum yields. i

' Heating magnesia'with" strong bases in the presence of precipitated silica or'diatomaceous earth give's a catalyst which represses formation of ethylene from ethanol and increases the proportion of butadiene, Heating precipitated magnesium oxide with a sodium silicate solution gives a similar result. Treatments of this" type apparently convert such oxide into some form of silicate or into a mixture of oxide and silicate. Such change in the composition of the catalyst may be responsible for the depression of the dehydration to ethylene and the marked increase in the yield of butadiene when our catalysts are employed as herein described. In the preparation of these catalysts, magnesium oxide or the hydrated oxide is mixed with silica or formed in the presence-of silica. While wide variations in the proportions of metal oxide, MgO, to silica, SiOz, may be utilized, the preferred proportions of MgO to SiO2, on a weight basis, fall Within the range of 1 to 9 and 4 to 1. The most economical proportions, on a weight basis, with respect to both cost of catalyst and conversion to desired product are 1 to 4 to l to 1.

Other substances may be added to our catalysts to serve as promoters. Particularly suited for this purpose are manganese oxide, copper oxide, molybdenum oxide, and cobalt oxide. These serve to increase the rate of reaction. Such substances may be added before or after the alkali digestion, but in most cases it is preferable to add them before heating with the alkali.

The oxide of magnesium is preferably precipitated from aqueous solutions of its soluble salts containing the diatomaceous earth in suspension. Particularly good results are obtained when the soluble salt is a chloride or nitrate, although other soluble salts such as the sulfate may be used. Solutions of such salts up to 2.0 molar are suitable. The oxide may also be precipitated, washed with water, and then mixed with the diatomaceous earth. It is not necessary, however, to wash the precipitated catalyst to remove soluble salts before proceeding with the alkali digestion. Sodium or potassium silicate may be used for precipitating the magnesia, in which case precipitated silica is formed at the same time. The same alkali may be used for the precipitation and the digestion. Excess alkali may be added during the precipitation step. An excess of to 200 of the alkali required for the precipitation has been found to be effective in the digestion step,

the optimum amount varying with the ratio of silica to the dehydrating oxide in the catalyst. The digestion may be carried out by heating the admixture in suspension at a temperature of from about 60 to 125 C., using pressure if desired,

the optimum temperature depending upon the concentration of the alkaline solution and the time of. digestion. The most useful range generally is 90 to about 100 C. for times of one to two hours at concentrations of alkaline solution from about 0.1% up to about 8%. The solution may be somewhat concentrated by evaporation during the digestion, but it is preferred not to evaporate to dryness. After the digestion, the

excess alkali and soluble salts are washed out of the precipitate by decantation or filtration. The excess alkali may be partially neutralized to aid in filtration if desired, but the pH of the solution should not be brought below 9 by acidification or the effect of the digestion will be lost. Washing is continued until the wash water is almost neutral (pH 8 to 9) so that essentially all of the alkali is removed from the catalyst.

The precipitate is then dried at temperatures of from about 100 to about 150 C. to remove most of the water, and is then broken up into pieces of suitable size, preferably four to eight mesh, although the mesh size may vary over a relatively wide range.

The catalyst may also be formed in suitable shapes, as, for example, by extrusion of a wet paste before drying. Water left in the catalyst is removed by heating to a temperature of the order of from 350 to 400 C. in a stream of air before use.

These catalysts retain their activity for several days of continuous use. Over extended periods of use, they gradually become covered with a carbonaceous deposit which reduces their activity. The activity of the catalyst can be substantially completely restored, however, by burning off the carbonaceous deposit at temperatures of from 400 to 600 C.

Preparation of catalysts within the scope of our invention is described in the following illustrative examples.

Example 1 To a solution of 0.5 mol of magnesium .chloride in one liter of water there was added '75 grams of a diatomaceous earth in finely divided form which had been acid-washed and ignited and 2.0 mols of sodium hydroxide in 500 cc. of Water (100 per cent excess). The mixture was then digested for two hours at to C., and any water lost by evaporation was replaced. The mixture was then cooled and filtered. The filter cake was washed three times, each time with one liter of water, then dried at 0., :broken up into 4-8 mesh particles, and ignited at 425 C.

Example 2 To a solution of 0.5 mol of magnesium nitrate and 75 grams of a finely divided, acid-washed and ignited diatomaceous earth in one liter of water there was added gradually, while the mixture was stirred, 1.50 mols of sodium hydroxide in 500 cc. of water (50 per :cent excess). The mixture was then digested for two hours at 90 to 95 C., and any water lost by evaporation was replaced. The mixture was then cooled and filtered. The filter cake was washed three times, each time with one liter of water, dried at 100 C.,'broken up into 4-8 mesh particles, and ignited at 425 C.

Example 3 A mixture of 0.5 mol of magnesium nitrate and '75 grams of kaolin in one liter of water was prepared. To this was added 2.0 mols of sodium hydroxide (100 per cent excess) in 500 cc. of water. The mixture was digested for two hours at 90 to 95 C. It was then cooled and filtered. The filter cake was washed three times, each time with one liter of water, dried at 100 C., broken up into 4-8 mesh particles, and finally ignited at 425 C.

Example 4 A mixture of 1.25 mols of magnesium chloride and '75 grams of a finely divided, acid-washed and ignited diatomaceous earth in 1.5 liters of Water was stirred, and to it was added gradually 3.125- mols (25 per cent excess) of sodium hydroxide in 800 cc. of Water. The mixture was digested for two hours at 90 to 95 C., the water lost by evaporation being replaced intermittently. After digestion, the mixture was cooled and filtered. The filter cake was washed as above, dried at 100 0., broken up into 4-8 mesh particles, and ignited at 425 C.

Example 5 To a mixture of 0.5 mol of magnesium chloride, 0.055 mol of cobaltous nitrate, and 75 grams of a finely divided, acid-washed and ignited diatomaceous earth in one liter of water, there was added 2.22 mols (100 per cent excess) of sodium hydroxide in 500 cc. of water. This mixture was digested for two hours at 90 to 95 C. After being cooled, the suspension was filtered, the filter cake Washed as above, dried at 100 C., broken up into 4-8 mesh particles, and finally ignited at 425 C.

Example 6 A used sample of the catalyst described in Example 2 was reactivated with a current of air at Example 7 A mixture of 0.50 mol of magnesium chloride,

0.055 mol of copper nitrate, 75 grams of a finely divided, acid-washed and ignited diatomaceous earth, and one liter of water was prepared. To this was added gradually 1.39 mols (25 percent excess) of sodium hydroxide in 400 cc. of water. The suspension was digested for two hours at 90 butadiene produced, andthe weight of unabsorbed oondensable gas left is butylene. The acetaldehyde in the still and in the dry ice traps was also determined. Yields were calculated for butadiene and aregiven inthe table below as'per cent of theory based 'on'the alcohol decomposed,

In some of theruns, thealcohol was fed independently from aconstant rate feeder and vaporized into the top of the catalyst tube. In some of these runs, there was'no recycling, and in others the unchanged alcohol and acetaldehyde were recycled. In other runs, mixtures of acetaldehyde and ethanol or crotonaldehyde and ethanol and ethanol and water were fed into the catalyst tube.

Results are noted in the following table:

Examples of preparation of butadiene Catalyst Composition, Percent by Weight Preparation of Butadiene Catalyst Magne C b 1t Percent. Hours Tem- H P t Run from sium m Kaolin o 0p-per Excess Digested peraours 911cm Example oxide ceous Earth Oxide Oxide NBOH 0. tum Run Yield 1 21. 0 100 2 435 3. 17 48. l 2 21. 0 O 2 465 2. 42. 2 3 21. 0 100 2 430 1. 37 38. 8 4 40. 0 2 465 l. 25 39. 1 5 20. 2 100 2 465 0. 98 39. 3 6 20. 8 50 2 475 1. 22 43. 8 7 20. 3 25 2 475 1. 13 45. 2

to 95 C., then cooled, filtered, and the filter cake washed with water. The pH of the final suspension was 8. After being dried at 100 C., the cake was broken up into 4-8 mesh particles and ignited at 425 C.

The catalysts prepared as above noted were used in the production of butadiene as follows: One hundred cc. of the catalyst was placed in a pyrex tube and heated in an electric tube furnace. The temperature was measured with a thermocouple in the center of the catalyst zone. The charge of alcohol was 125 cc. (2 mols C2H5OH). This was added to the pot of a distilling column and was distilled through the column at a constant rate. The vapors were passed over the catalyst. The water, unchanged alcohol, acetaldehyde, and other liquid products of the reaction were condensed out and returned to the still. The gaseous products were passed into dry icecooled traps (60 to '70 C.) and were then scrubbed with alcohol at 60 to -70 C. The dry ice traps removed some uncondensed acetaldehyde and the major part of the butadiene and butylerre, the remainder of the latter two being collected in an alcohol scrubber. The undissolved gases were mainly hydrogen and ethylene with small amounts of carbon dioxide and saturated hydrocarbons. The undissolved gases were measured and analyzed. 7

The unreaoted alcohol and the acetaldehyde returned to the still were fractionated from the water and high-boiling by-products and were returned over the catalyst. Recycling was continued until most of the alcohol had been used The alcohol remaining at the end of the run was determined and deducted from the original charge to calculate the alcohol used up. The butadiene and butene were distilled from the traps and alcohol scrubber through a weighed maleic anhydride scrubber. Unabsorbed gases were condensed and distilled through the maleic anhydride several times until no further increase in weight of the maleic scrubber was obtained. The weight absorbed by maleic anhydride is the From the above table, it will be noted that relatively high yields of butadiene may be produced by the catalytic conversion of ethyl alcohol when catalysts prepared as above described are employed.

We claim:

1. A catalyst suitable for converting ethanol to butadiene which consists essentially of a mixture of silica and magnesium oxide, said mixture containing from 20% to silica and having been (a) digested at a temperature of at least 50 C. in an aqueous solution of a strongly alkaline material from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium bases, the hydroxides of the alkali metals and the silicates of the alkali metals, (2)) freed of water-soluble materials, (0) brought to a pH of 8 to 9, and (d) dried.

2. A catalyst suitable for converting ethanol to butadiene which consists essentially of a mixture of silica and magnesium oxide, said mixture containing 20% to 50% magnesium oxide and having been (a) digested at a temperature of 60 C. to C. in an aqueous solution of a strongly alkaline material from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium bases, the hydroxides of the alkali metals and the silicates of the alkali metals, (b) freed of water-soluble materials, (0) brought to a pH of 8 to 9, and (d) dried.

3. The process of preparing a catalyst suitable for converting ethanol to butadiene which com:- prisies (a) preparing a mixture of 20% to 90% silica and 80% to 10% of a magnesium oxide, (b) heating said mixture at a temperature of at least 50 C. in an aqueous solution of a strongly alkaline material from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium bases, the hydroxides of the alkali metals and the silicates of the alkali metals, (c) washing water-soluble materials from said mixture, and (d) drying said mixture,

4. The process of preparing a catalyst suitable for converting ethanol to butadiene which comprises (q) preparing a mixture of 80% to 50% silica and 20% to 50% magnesium oxide, (b) heating said mixture at a temperature of 60 C. to 125 C. in an aqueous solution of a strongly 7 8 alkaline material from the group consisting of UNITED STATES PATENTS quaternary ammonium bases, the hydroxides of the alkali metals and the, silicates of the alkali Number Name Date metals, (0) Washing Water-soluble materials from 2,088,281 Smith July 27, 1937 said mixture, and (d) drying said mixture. 5 0, Rut ufi- Feb. 1, 194; DARREL J. BUTTERBAUGI-I. 2,341,193 Scheineman Feb, 8, 1944 LE RQ-Y U SPENCE, 2,343,731 Bailie et a1 Mar. 7,1944 2,350,282 La Lande Jr. May 30, 1944 REFERENCES CITED 2,390,556 Ruthruff Dec. 11, 1945 The following references are of record in the 10 23991261 Thomas 1946 file of this patent: 

